


Alba

by s_a_b_i_n_e



Series: Malec Oneshots (smut-free) [10]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood, Scotland, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26678629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_a_b_i_n_e/pseuds/s_a_b_i_n_e
Summary: Alec works way too much. Magnus gifts him with a day off. Alec chooses to travel to the British Isles and Magnus introduces him to afternoon tea and Scotland's beauty.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Malec Oneshots (smut-free) [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854829
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Alba

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this originally for "[The Omega Conspiracy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266366/chapters/63940174)". But I liked it too much to keep it hidden in the long tale. I adapted it to work in the canon universe.

Alec startled up and jumped out of the bed, his tired eyes trying to adjust to the rays of sunlight that were creeping through the curtains. What time was it? "Magnus!?" he shouted through the loft, already grabbing his jeans and a fresh shirt. He was pretty sure that he had overslept.

"Yes, my love," Magnus chirped from the kitchen. "Did you sleep well?"

Alec nearly fell, trying to move to his boyfriend and pulling up his jeans at the same time; only his shadowhunter grace saved him. "Sorry, I'm late. Gotta go," he said hastily, pressing a kiss on Magnus' cheek.

"You're not going anywhere unless I allow it," the warlock said and pulled him into a deep kiss. Alec melted into him, his body becoming pliant under the touch of his beloved.

When their lips parted the shadowhunter smiled, his eyes still closed. "I wish I could stay, babe. But I can't. Reports are piling up on my desk and I really need to get in some training. I know you like my love handles, but I really do not feel comfortable with myself anymore. You feed me up with your delicious cooking and the sweets you conjure from all around the world."

Magnus caressed his cheeks. "You're working way too much and I'm not the only one thinking that, Alexander. I called Izzy this morning. She and Jace will deal with the reports. The next 24 hours, my love, you're mine. We can Netflix and chill or we can make a delightful trip. Whatever you want. We'll do it."

For a moment Alec's mind went blank. He was so used to to-do lists, appointments, and the mountains of work sitting on his desk that the prospect of having a day off made him a little dizzy. But Magnus' warm hands on his still bare torso anchored him enough to focus again. Resistance was futile. He new his boyfriend and his siblings too well. So he settled on a whispered 'Thank you' instead.

"You're welcome, darling. What is it you want to do?" Magnus waited patiently while Alec scanned through the myriad of possibilities.  
A smile grew on Alec's lips.

"Whatever I want? Even overseas?" He had never asked Magnus to take him anywhere outside of New York. Magnus knew that his boyfriend worried to make him feel exploited. He had hoped that Alec would let go of this misconception much earlier. The warlock's hands twitched in a thrill of anticipation. What would Alec choose?

"Ever since you told me about it, I wanted to have an afternoon tea with you. Due to the time difference, this might be possible, right?" Magnus nodded. He was all smiles. But Alec wrinkled his brow and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "That means going to a city, right?" Magnus shook his head in agreement. "If I'm being honest, I would like to be somewhere with not too many people. I just wanna enjoy the time with you. And I would still like to get some exercise, maybe in the fresh air. Sorry, I don't make any sense."

Magnus looked at him warmly. "You make perfect sense, Alexander. And I think I have a solution for your wishes. Do you trust me?"

"More than anybody else in the world," Alec blurted out and Magnus raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay. Just as much as I trust Izzy and Jace. But none of them knows my insecurities and my vulnerability like you. I trust you with my heart, body, and soul." He raised Magnus' hands with his own and pressed a kiss on each. Now it was Magnus' turn to melt into the simple touch. He leant forward and gave Alec a lingering kiss.

"Shower! And then sturdy shoes, a jacket, and we're ready to leave," the warlock announced after breaking the kiss and Alec beamed at him. His stomach made a somersault, a good one though.

* * *

Magnus opened the portal and they stepped through it. They landed on a promenade. The sandy beach opened the view to a firth. Sea birds screeched above them, the sun's soft beams mingled with the salty breeze. "Where are we?" Alec asked.

"Portobello beach," Magnus explained.

Two old ladies walked by, speaking loud, seemingly hard of hearing. Alec frowned. "But people are talking English. This isn't Italy, is it?"

Magnus let out a guffaw. "No. We are in Edinburgh, Scotland. But we are away from the tourist spots. It's not overcrowded here. I thought it a good place to have our afternoon tea. There's a wonderful little place called Mimi's bakehouse that offers afternoon and cream tea boxes. I thought I conjure one here and we can eat them sitting at the beach."

Alec gave him a reserved smile. "Would it be okay if we sat on top of the promenade wall? I don't like sand in my shoes," he asked. Magnus snickered, sat down, and swung his legs over the balustrade to the water-facing side of the wall. Alec did the same and a box appeared next to him. "Did you pay for that?" Alec asked sceptically.

"But of course, Alexander. I ordered them online while you were taking your shower. I don't steal things." He winked at his boyfriend and opened the bottle of prosecco, filling two flutes with the sparkling wine. He raised his glass to Alec. "To us," he said.

"To us," the other man answered. After taking a sip he looked at the remaining content of the box. They started with the assortment of little sandwiches. Magnus' favourite was the honey roast ham with wholegrain mustard, Alec prefered the one with cheddar and onion chutney. After finishing the sandwiches they tried the scones with clotted cream and jam. They both were stuffed at the end of their feast.

"What about a little hike? We can eat the sausage rolls and the baked goods later," Magnus suggested. Alec nodded in agreement. "You said you wanted to avoid too many people and get some exercise. Would you like to explore a little bit of Scotland's beauty?" Magnus asked.

Alec's eyes sparkled. "Where do we go?" he enquired, his voice full of excitement.

"You'll see," Magnus answered cryptically. He conjured a rucksack for the food and a bottle of water for each of them. Then he opened a portal and reached for Alec's hand.

They stepped onto a gravel path surrounded by high trees. The sky above them was flecked with little clouds. Still holding hands Magnus led them through the old forest, only letting go of Alec to open a wooden gate. The path narrowed more and more. Leaving the trees behind, grass, moss, heather, and thistles lined the path. Big rocks blocked their view when they steadily made their way uphill.

It was not a strenuous hike but both felt the unfamiliar strain of a slick and bumpy path underneath them. New York was all tar and processed stone. This was nature barely tamed and it felt exhilarating.

The path became narrower and they had to walk behind one another. Alec admired Magnus' beautiful form in front of him, his muscles' working visible under his tight clothes. The shadowhunter took a few strides and swirled his boyfriend around, pressing their bodies flush until Magnus' rear was hitting the ledge that skirted one side of the path.

The warlock smirked into the kiss, daring Alec to kiss the grin off his lips until he finally surrendered. After a long moment, he gasped for air and leant his forehead against Alec's. "What have I done to deserve this?" Magnus asked smiling.

"Just being your wonderful, usual self," Alec said, caressing his face. "It's beautiful here."

Magnus gave him a beaming smile. "You haven't seen the half of it, Alexander," he murmured and led him back to the path. They resumed walking and caught a glimpse of a body of standing water here and there. But the view was still blocked most of the time, green and brown soaking all of their senses.

They half climbed between two rocks when Magnus turned around, looking down at Alec who was a few steps behind and below him. The bottleneck was higher than Alec.

Magnus had stopped at the most narrow point. "Still trust me?" he asked and Alec nodded with a wide smile. "Close your eyes then. I'll guide you. Just take little steps. It's not far." Magnus took both of his hands and slowly led Alec a few steps further upwards. Then the ground underneath Alec's feet became flat, the gravel giving way to soft grass and moss underneath his boots.

He felt Magnus stop and suddenly his soft lips on his own, the warlock's tongue playfully sliding inside his mouth. Kissing Magnus always made the rest of the world disappear, the sensation of their joined mouths and the touch of their hands the only thing left that really mattered.

Magnus slowed down their kiss, his lips still ghosting over Alec's. Both were breathing heavily and the shadowhunter could feel his boyfriend's smile hover in front of his own. Then Magnus took a step aside and whispered. "Open your eyes."

The light first blinded him and he could only see blotches of colour. The familiar green and brown was joint by blue that slowly grew to a loch beneath them, the sunbeams painting all different shades into the calm water. Highland cows grazed on the hillside that opened up to the most beautiful landscape Alec had ever seen, all rolling hills and deep blue water under a light blue sky.

His face asked the question, but no sound escaped his mouth, too overwhelmed to form the words. "It's Loch Lomond," Magnus explained in a low voice. He didn't want to take away from the magic this place held.

Alec's eyes widened. "Like the song?" he whispered and Magnus nodded.

 _"By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,  
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond.  
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae,  
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond,"_ he recited. "Such a beautiful song and so sad."

"Why sad?" Alec asked.

"Because it tells the story of two men who fought in the second Jacobite rising. One comes back home alive on the high road over the hills, the other dead through the netherworld. The Scots always found their very own way to deal with the hardship of their people. I always admired them for their strength and stubbornness, but most of all for their kindness. I never met a Scot not welcoming me in their midst."

Alec knew that there had to be an untold story behind Magnus' watery eyes. But this wasn't the time to ask. Instead, he pulled him into his arms, Magnus' back nestled to his chest.

They looked at the scenery beneath them for a long time. A wind got up and grey clouds blocked the sun. Magnus shivered when the rain started to fall. "Let's go home," Alec murmured in his ear, pulling his boyfriend even closer.

"Just one more minute," Magnus answered. "It's just a bit of liquid sunshine and my make-up is waterproof." Alec grinned down at him.

"Okay," he spoke into Magnus' skin. "But only if we warm up in the bathtub afterwards."

"Who am I to deny such a request?" the warlock smiled. "Your wish is my command."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think.
> 
> If you don't know the song, check out this [classically slow](https://youtu.be/cuqSN_YQeD4) or [this live version.](https://youtu.be/1H310L7o5gs)


End file.
